Tufting machines



AM@ 8, 1967 R. ELLLSON ETAL. fm

TUFTING MACHINES Filed March 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR: HOMME ELLSSN R 'JOHN FWTCHARD Mai mf@ Aug' 8, 1967 R, ELLlsoN ETAL 3,334,601

TUFTING MACHINES Filed March 24, 1965 4 Shees-Sheet` 2 INVENToRs; BONMD ELLISON 2. JOHN PRTCHHR Aug- 8, 1967 R. ELLISON ETAL 3,334,601

TUFTING MACHINES Filed March 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 -F l G. 3.-

INVENTORSI RoNALD ELLISQN .L ox-NPRINMRD @www A frein/a' rg ug- 8, 1967 R. ELLlsoN ETAL 3,334,601

v TUFTING MACHINES Filed March 24, 1965 4 sheds-sheet 4 Q i?) E- M-J i l@ ql QT) 0') i m l et N l E m. I fj w INVENToRs:

RONALD ausm a. wm Panama BY #mi L XM@ United States Iatent 3,334,601 TUFTING MACHINES Ronald Ellison, Langho, near Blackburn, and John Pritchard, Rishton, England, assignors to Ellison Tufting Machinery Limited, Blackburn, England Filed Mar. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 442,276 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 7, 1964, Sasse/64 4 Claims. (Cl. 112--79) The present invention concerns tufting machines for forming .pile loops in a web of supporting material, e.g. in the manufacture of tufted carpets.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tufting machine with an improved patterning facility whereby a loop pile pattern of normal and of reduced height may be formed in the tufted work.

According to the present invention a tufting machine including a plurality of needles each adapted to -form a succession of yarn loops in a web moved relatively thereto and a constant speed arrangement for feeding yarn to each said needle, is characterised by a plurality of controllable yarn tensioners each adapted to act on an indivi-dual yarn or on one of a plurality of yarn groups to increase the yarn tension at the command of a patterning device and thereby to produce a pattern deiined by a low loop pile for yarns with increased tension and a normal loop pile for yarns with normal tension.

Each controllable yarn tensioner is preferably situated between the yarn supply and the yarn lfeeding arrangement and preferably when actuated to produce low loop pile causes slipping of the yarn with respect to the constant speed feeding arrangement.

The yarn feeding arrangement is conveniently a roller common to all yarns or to a substantial number thereof.

Each controllable yarn tensioner preferably includes a pressure element adapted to compress the yarn or group of yarns under a substantially predetermined pressure when actuated to impart increased yarn tension. Each yam tensioner may include a piston displaceable under the influence of fluid, eg. pneumatic pressure relative to a cylinder for moving the pressure element into and out of its increased yarn tension position.

The pressure of the liuid displacing the piston into the increased tension position of the yarn tensioner may define the tension of the yarn in its increased tension condition.

A tufting machine in accordance with a `further feature of the invention may include an alternative yarn tensioning facility whereby an intermediate loop pile may be produced in addition to the normal and low loop pile conditions. Such alternative tensioning may be effected by the provision of a second -controllable yarn tensioner for each yarn or plurality of yarn groups. The said second tensioners may be adapted to effect tensioning of the respective yarn or group of yarns as an alternative to the lirst tensioners; or they may 'be adapted to effect tensioning of the respective yarn or group of yarns simultaneously with, so as to add to the tension imparted by, the first tensioners.

Alternatively, each yarn tensioner may be adapted to assume three conditions of tensioning. Thus, each tensioner may be selectively connectable to two alternative sources of pressure fluid to define two out of the three.

said conditions, the respective tensioning in each `of said two conditions being a function of the respective uid pressure; or the displacement of a piston in a cylinder of a tensioner may be varied, yarn tensioning being effected via a spring having a characteristic such that spring stored force delines one of the yarn tensions and fluid pressure defines the alternative yarn tension.

The tufting machine may advantageosuly be so arranged Patented Aug. 8, 1967 that the instant of yarn tension change occurs in accurately timed relationship to the operational cycle of the tufting needles.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a vertical longitudinal section through the upper part of a tufting machine in accor-dance with the invention.

FIG. 1B is a corresponding section through the lower part of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section viewed at right angles to FIG. 1A taken in the direction of the arrow A thereof;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the inter-connection of essential elements.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modification wherein a plurality of second yarn tensioning means is included;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a structure in accordance with FIG. 4 wherein the second yarn tensioning means act alternatively to the first mentioned yarn tensioning means;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a structure in accordance with FIG. 4 wherein the second yarn tensioning means act simultaneously with and additionally to the first mentioned tensioning means;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a further variant wherein each tensioning means is adapted to assume three tensioning conditions; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a modification of the structure shown in FIG. 7.

A tufting machine suitable for making tufted carpets by forming loops on the lower face of a fabric web, the upper face of which is subsequently treated with an adhesive, is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B of the drawings. This machine is of conventional construction insofar as it includes an overhead main shaft 11 carried in bearings in a housing 12, this shaft 11 driving two or more eccentrics 13 each engaging a pitman 14 driving a reciprocating spindle 16 guided by bearing bushes 16 and 17 carried by a flanged sleeve 18 engaged in an aperture 19 at the lower end of the housing 12.

The spindles 16 are attached to a transversely extending needle bar 21 carrying a plurality of needles 22. A transversely extending pressure plate 23 is adjustably supported by rods 24 each depending from a lug 25 formed integrally with the lower part of the` sle-eve 18.

A yarn take-up guide 26 is mounted for vertical reciprocation on spindles (not shown) each of which is also driven via a pitman from an eccentric on the shaft 11` There is a horizontally reciprocating ,looper bar 31 driven in synchronism with the needle bar movement and adapted to reciprocate a plurality of loopers 32, one for each needle, beneath a work plate 33 having a transversely extending series of longitudinal slots 34 through which pile loops may be formed in a fabric web 35.

The web 35 is passed from two feed beams 36 and 37 over the plate 33 and thence as the linished work it moves round further beams 3S and 39. A constant speed yarn feeding arrangement consists of two rollers 41 and 42.

The machine thus described is, in accordance with the present invention, characterised by a plurality of yarn loop tensioners T (FIGS.1A and 2) each adapted to act on a group G (FIG. 2) of ve yarns Y passing over a support plate S to increase the yarn tension at the command of the patterning device P (FIG. 3) and thereby to produce a pattern dened by a low loop pile L (FIG. 1) for yarns with increased tension and a normal loop pile N for yarns with normal tension. p,

The patterning device P is conveniently constituted by a cylinder having an opaque design on a translucent background, or vice-versa. By locating the patterning device remote from the tufting needles interference from dust, fiy and vibration is reduced. Drive is conveniently effected by a synchro electric generator driven from the main shaft of the tufting machine with its output fed to a synchroelectric motor operating the patterning device.

The yarn tensioners T are each disposed between a yarn supply conveniently in the form of a creel C for each yarn and the constant speed feeding rollers 4I and 42, these rollers being common to all the yarns used in the machine.

The roller 42 is mounted on an axle (not shown) which can be adjustably -positioned in an arcuate slot 43 in order to vary the arc of yarn contact and hence the frictional engagement ybetween yarn and roller. Adjustment is preferably such that slipping occurs, between the yarn and the rollers 41 and 42 when the yarn tension has been increased by actuation of the corresponding tensioner.

The tensioners each comprise a piston 51 (FIG. 3) displaceable in a cylinder 52 to which air is admissible via a pressure reducer 53 from a supply 54 under the control of a valve 55 having a spring 56 urging it into a condition in which the air supply is connected to the cylinder and having a solenoid 57 co-acting with an armature adapted on being energised to move the Valve in the opposite direction to a condition wherein the cylinder is disconnected from the supply and connected to atmosphere or exhaust.

Each solenoid 57 is adapted to be energised from an electric supply 58 via a contacter 59 controlled by a photocell 61 mounted so as to scan the patterning device P in the position appropriate to the respective needle. With ve needles controlled by one tensioner there will be a number of photocells contactors, tensions and associated parts each equal to one fifth of the total number of needles.

As mentioned above each tensioner controls iive yarns; 4these yarns are distributed by a labyrinth of tubular guides in so-called scramble box to the desired needle in sequence across the machine according to the num-ber of ends between each pattern repeat in the transverse direction. As is evident from FIGS. 1A and 2 the tensioners are arranged in two staggered rows for convenience of spacing.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, there may be included a plurality lof second yarn tensioning means T2 in addition to the first mentioned yarn tensioning means T1. The tensioning means T1 derive control from a second patterning means P2.v

The second yarn tensioning means may act on the yarn Y (FIGS. 4 and 5) alternatively to the action of the yarn tensioning means T1; i.e. there `may be a first condition in which neither tensioning means acts on the yarn, thus producing normal loop pile, a second condition in which low loop pile is produced due to feed retarding pressure being exerted on the yarn Y by the yarn tensioning means T1 and additionally a third condition in which an intermediate loop pile is produced due to feed retarding pressure being exerted on the yarn Y by the second yarn tensioning means T2. In this case `the pressure and hence the feed retardation exerted by the second yarn tensioning means T2 will be less than that exerted by the yarn tension T1. 1n the modification shown in FIG. 6 however the maximum tension condition is obtained by the tensioning means T1 and the second tensioning means T2 acting simultaneously and additionally; the intermediate condition may then be obtained by the action of either tensioning means alone. If different tensions can be exerted by the .respective tensioning means T1 and T2 it will be obvious that four tension conditions, i.e., giving two different intermediate loop piles, can be obtained by the arrangement of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 shows how each yarn tensioning means including a piston 51 and cylinder 52 may be commanded from two patterning means P1 and P2. respectively. The patterning means P1 transmits its commands to a control means C1 interposed between a source of pressure uid 54 and a first pressure reducing valve 531, whilst the second patterning means P2 transmits its commands to a control ymeans C2 interposed between the said source 54 and a second pressure reducing valve 532. The settings of the pressure reducing valves 531 and 532 respectively are different so that the output from either pressure reducing valve acts on the piston according to the valve setting, thus determining the loop pile height in each case. In other words with vthis embodiment there are three yarn tension conditions, namely normal tension when the yarn is free from pressure from the tensioning element, high tension for low loop pile when pressure fiuid is admitted to the cylinder 52 via the pressure reducing valve 531 on commands from the patterning means P1 and intermediate tension for intermediate loop pile when pressure fluid is admitted to the cylinder 52 via the `pressure reducing valve 532 or commands for the patterning means P2, in this case the fiuid pressure setting of the valve 532 being lower than that of the valve 531.

Finally in FIG. 8 there is shown a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 7, wherein three tension conditions are also obtained. Of these three conditions the normal loop `height occurs when pressure fluid is admitted to the lower part 521 of the cylinder 52 from a source 54 via a control means C1 under the command of a patterning means P1. The intermediate loop pile is produced in the absence of liuid pressure acting on the piston, which is then merely urged towards the yarn under the influence of a resilient means or spring R, the characteristic of which defines the pressure exerted. The low loop pile condition is then obtained on command from a second patterning means P2 when pressure fluid via a control means C2 is admitted to the upper part 522 of the cylinder 52 so as to supplement the spring action on the piston 51.

We claim:

1. In a tufting machine for manufacturing pile carpets and fabrics wherein plural yarns are fed from a creel by a constant-speed feed device to plural needles operatively arranged to loop said yarns in a base fabric to form said pile carpets and fabrics, the Combination with said constant-speed feed device of plural variable yarn tensioners operatively arranged to make selective contact with each said yarn fory varying the tension 'in each at an operative location intermediate said creel and con# stamt-speed feed device such that the length of each yarn fed by said constant-speed feed device and available for looping is a function of said selective contact.

2. The combination in a tufting machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said constant-speed feed device comprises a pair of rollers operatively arranged to frictionally engage and advance said yarns during rotation thereof.

3. The combination in a tufting machine as defined 1n claim 1 wherein each said variable yarn tensioner includes a pressure air actuated means operatively arranged to provide engagement of said tensioner with said yarn to an extent corresponding to the pressure of said pressure air which actuates said pressure air actuated means.

4. The combination in a tufting machine as defined in claim 3 further including control means operatively connected to said pressure air actuated means to collectively control the pressure of the pressure air actuating each said pressure air actuated means so that the tufting of said tufting machine is in accordance with a predetermined pattern imposed over the operation of said tufting machine by said control means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,782,905 2/1957 Smith i12-79.6 X 2,810,471 10/1957 Shattuck 112-79.6 X 2,93 5,037 5/1960 `Card 112--79.6 3,080,837 3/1963 Kaffne et al. 11279.6

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TUFTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING PILE CARPETS AND FABRICS WHEREIN PLURAL YARNS ARE FED FROM A CREEL BY A CONSTANT-SPEED FEED DEVICE TO PLURAL NEEDLES OPERATIVELY ARRANGED TO LOOP SAID YARNS IN A BASE FABRIC TO FORM SAID PILE CARPETS AND FABRICS, THE COMBINATION WITH SAID CONSTANT-SPEED FEED DEVICE FOR PLURAL VARIABLE YARN TENSIONERS OPERATIVELY ARRANGED TO MAKE SELECTIVE CONTACT WITH EACH SAID YARN FOR VARYING THE TENSION IN EACH AT AN OPERATIVE LOCATION INTERMEDIATE SAID CREEL AND CONSTANT-SPEED FEED DEVICE SUCH THAT THE LENGTH OF EACH YARN FED BY SAID CONSTANT-FEED SPEED DEVICE AND AVAILABLE FOR LOOPING IS A FUNCTION OF SAID SELECTIVE CONTACT. 